Danville Express

Credit card thief aims car at cop

A 35-year-old woman from Concord allegedly drove her car at a Danville police officer, then sped away and hid inside a bathroom on Sunday evening. But no one was hurt, said police Sgt. Troy Craig.

The incident began shortly after 6 p.m. when Sgt. Dan Hoffman made contact with Victor Hernandez, 42, at Fostoria Way and Fostoria Circle. Hoffman noticed Hernandez was behaving strangely, according to the report, and upon further investigation, found out he was under the influence of a controlled substance.

Hoffman saw Hernandez's friend, Lisa Noriega, 35, of Concord, drive her 2006 silver sedan away from them. She drove into a dead end street then circled back toward them to leave the area.

Hoffman told Noriega to stop her car, Craig said. She turned off her car several times and kept moving closer to him, said police reports.

Then she accelerated her car and drove toward Hoffman, who jumped out of the way, and she fled the scene. The sedan's mirror hit Hoffman's belt area, Craig said.

Police found Noriega hiding inside a bathroom at Chili's Restaurant in San Ramon.

Police arrested her on a $5,000 warrant for drugs, suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon against a peace officer, violation of her probation and possession of stolen property, Craig said. She had credit cards taken from people in Danville, Lafayette, Orinda and Martinez, according to reports.

Police arrested Hernandez on the charge of suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance.

"We are just glad Sgt. Hoffman and no parties were injured," Craig said.

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